Introducing "The Olivia "

Hi All;
Liz has expanded her art work again. (No artist stays static)
She has purchased a Durston rolling mill!
Rolling mills impress patterns into softer metals,   Copper , Silver , Gold
The newest model "The Olivia"  is a 50 to 1 gear driven, hand crank rolling mill.
Her plan  is that when I retire, I can become  a rolling mill operator rather than a crane operator...   I'm good with that!
All other rolling mills are 4 to 1 or 5 to 1. What that means is it takes 4 turns of the big handle to turn the rollers one revolution.
Olivia uses 50 turns to make one revolution.   This might seem silly , why would you want to turn that handle 150 times to run material when you could buy  a 4 to 1 and do it faster???
The reason is how hard it is to turn.  A 4 to 1 mill takes 2 hands , a really super sturdy bench, very large young arms  and a whole bunch of want to!
Olivia is also hard to turn, but nothing like those other mills.  I mean a 63 year old can crank this out one after the other without grunting!
We can understand why so many  artists who use these end up selling their 4 to1 mill to buy the monster electric  models.

As you can see, she has already started collecting the steel press plates to do this job.
You must spend money to make money!

We are just learning how to set her up and are currently only pressing relatively inexpensive copper.  
Here are some solid copper switch covers and the start of some earrings.
Many many more things will be rolling thru Olivia in the years to come.

Nice bit of kit! So you put a metal blank and one of those embossed plates together,turn the handle and roll them through? Sounds like pretty hard work, but the embossing is coming out beautifully. I like the honeycomb design.

Beautiful! I am envious ... I want one so I can make pretty things, too.

While visiting Thomas and Liz earlier this year, ‘olivia’ was in the room I was staying in. Hardly been used as I think they had just purchased it before my arrival. Now that I’m gone, the room and the mill are now finally accessible to use.
Sorry to have held up production, but I must say that the work being produced is fantastic!
Look forward to seeing all the creativity to come.

Will (& when will) these items be available in her etsy shop?

I'm envious I use a Durston D-2 in my studio. I saw the Olivia and want one but can't justify adding one to my space. I have a collection of embossing plates and have started usng laser cut paper for impressions and have been happy with the results. https://contenti.com/laser-engraved-rolling-mill-texture-paper
Etsy, Contenti and I'm sure many others have stock designs

Hi Carla;
Liz hopes to start  offering them in her shop sometime next week

https://www.etsy.com/market/rocks_by_liz

Robert;
You know the old saying...
If your shop is to small for a new tool... TIME to build a bigger shop!
I will say that Olivia is a sweetheart to work with!

Here is a link to an etsy shop that  Liz thought you might like.

https://www.etsy.com/shop/RollingMillResources?ref=simple-shop-header-name&listing_id=933164976

She asked if you really only get one use from the laser paper?

Depending on the guage and hardness you might squeeze two uses, but unfortunately yes only one in most cases. I've also used cup cake wrappers for impressions, the possibilities are endless. https://www.amazon.com/Wrappers-KEIVA-Filigree-Artistic-Decoration/dp/B0739ZLM37/ref=sr_1_12?crid=3F9SRNGT1IKM5&keywords=laser+cut+cupcake+wrappers+tulip&qid=1658601695&sprefix=laser+cut+cupcake+wrappers+tulip%2Caps%2C144&sr=8-12

Sooo... Thomas, when are you going to build a rocket forge so you can cast your wife's unique plates for Olivia?

Hi Jay;
Nope no rocket forge for plate making...
For that we NEED/WANT a fiber laser engraver.... a mere $7000 or more.
If/When we get one of those, it will make Olivia over the hill... no longer needed (Maybe we can sell her to Robert)
A fiber engraver can do everything Olivia does and much more.

So maybe a Kickstarter is needed to acquire enough funds....
Or that rich Permies philanthropist can step up and donate  one.
Or maybe I'll go back out on the road and earn one the old fashioned way.